Automatic scriber

ABSTRACT

A mechanically driven device is provided for forming or writing letters, words, symbols, designs or caricatures in accordance with programming of a pattern piece and for applying them to a piece of paper through an agency of linkage of a lever mechanism and a stylus. The pattern piece is formed by using the stylus as a tracing guide and by applying a pair of tracking pins to trace contour lines on the pattern piece; the pattern piece is then formed by cutting it along the contour lines. The pattern piece is introduced in an aligned relation into the machine and rotated about a drum or wheel in the path of the pair of tracking pins that then operate as opposed side-edge-engaging fingers along the contoured edges of the pattern piece. The tracking pins are connected through linkage to a stylus operating arm for moving a pen or pencil to faithfully translate and apply a lettering or design in accordance with contouring of the advancing pattern piece.

United States Patent Poglein [151 3,654,704 [451 Apr. 11, 1972 [54] AUTOMATIC SCRIBER [72] Inventor: Leslie J. Poglein, Box 291A, RD. 1, Jeannette, Pa. 15644 22 Filed: Dec. 3, 1970 21 Appl.No.: 94,718

Primary Examiner-Harry N. Haroian Attorney-Green, McCallister & Miller [5 7] ABSTRACT A mechanically driven device is provided for forming or writing letters, words, symbols, designs or caricatures in accordance with programming of a pattern piece and for applying them to a piece of paper through an agency of linkage of a lever mechanism and a stylus. The pattern piece is formed by using the stylus as a tracing guide and by applying a pair of tracking pins to trace contour lines on the pattern piece; the pattern piece is then formed by cutting it along the contour lines. The pattern piece is introduced in an aligned relation into the machine and rotated about a drum or wheel in the path of the pair of tracking pins that then operate as opposed side-edge-engaging fingers along the contoured edges of the pattern piece. The tracking pins are connected through linkage to a stylus operating arm for moving a pen or pencil to faithfully translate and apply a lettering or design in accordance with contouring of the advancing pattern piece.

8 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PATENTEDAPR 11 I972 654, 704

SHEET 2 0F 2 00000 o oooo lNVENTOR LESLIE .J. POGLEIN H/S ATTORNEYS AUTOMATIC SCRIBER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention There has been a need for an improved device, machine or apparatus that will be capable of faithfully and in a simplified and positive manner translating a writing, format or design into edge lines or other contoured surfaces of a pattern piece in such a manner that the writing, format or design may then be faithfully applied at any time to a sheet of paper or the like. The need is for a device whose operating parts may be hidden from view during its usage and that is adaptable in its usage to any suitable purpose, such as for advertising pencils or pens, or for providing a writing doll, illustrated in the drawings. It should be capable of being utilized continuously or intermittently to accurately apply lines in the form of letters, sentences, words, sketches, caricatures, etc., as desired and as programmed on a programming or pattern strip, piece or member.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention pertains to providing an improved writing or scribing machine that may be interchangeably used for advertising purposes as well as in the field of toys and particularly, to a machine or device that can be automatically operated in a simple manner without displaying its principal operating parts to apply a writing, format or design on paper or the like as translated from a moving programming or pattern piece.

An object of the invention has been to devise a simple and relatively inexpensive form of automatic scriber or writing device that is adaptable to various fields of usage.

Another object of the invention has been to provide a writing device that will be flexible and automatic in its operation.

A further object has been to provide a scribing device that can be employed to make its own pattern piece.

A still further object has been to provide a scriber machine that will have a pair of tracking fingers operated by a pattern piece to translate contour of the pattern piece into motion through a linkage of a lever system in such a manner as to produce a legible design, wording or the like on a suitable receiving media such as a piece of paper.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic front perspective view in elevation illustrating a device of the invention as utilized with a doll baby.

FIG. 2 is a slightly enlarged side view in elevation illustrating the construction of a device or apparatus such as employed in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view on the scale of and of the apparatus of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a somewhat diagrammatic top plan view on the scale of FIGS. 2 and 3, illustrating the forming of a pattern piece from a strip member.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged transverse section in elevation taken along the line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a further enlarged top plan view of the device or apparatus of FIGS. 2 and 3, partially broken away, with a top cover shield removed to illustrate working parts, their mounting and utilization.

FIG. 7 is a side sectional view in elevation on the scale of and taken along the line 7--7 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a front end view in elevation on the scale of and taken along the line 88 of FIG. 7.

And FIG. 9 is a circuit diagram illustrating a suitable electric system for energizing and controlling the operation of a drive motor for the device.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT By way of illustration in FIG. 1, a baby doll 10 is shown in a sitting position on a chair having an appearance similar to that of a school writing chair. The doll 10 has her forearm l2 resting on and extending forwardly from an upper, hoodlike enclosure, cover or shield 17 to extend in a concealing relation above and along an operating stylus arm or scriber member 50, with her hand 11 appearing to grip a stylus, pencil or ball point pen C. This gives the impression that movement of the member 50 and the pen C, as induced by the device of the invention, is a humanlike movement of the doll 10 for effecting writing on a piece of paper 13. It will be noted that the paper 13 rests on a main table portion, ledge or top compartment wall 16 of the chair 15. The doll 10 may have somewhat flexible fingers to releasably grip the pen or pencil C, in order that she may be removed from the chair 15 for play purposes by a child. However, the use of the apparatus or device of the invention gives somewhat of a fascinating illusion that a doll can be made to write her name or some other wording or design on a piece of paper (see Leslie of FIG. 6), depending on the particular shape of contoured side edge portions of a programming or pattern piece A (such as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5 of the drawings).

As particularly illustrated in FIG. 2, the hood or enclosing cover 17 is adapted to be mounted in an upwardly spaced relation on the back portion of the table portion 16 to cover operating mechanism including link or lever members 36, 38 and 45, arm member 50, and a pair of tracking fingers or pins 35 and 35'. The device is shown mounted within a substantially rectangular primary or main housing or casing 20 which may be a separate casing or may be part of the chair 15, depending on the contemplated use of the device. The housing 20 is shown as carrying a top closure wall which may be defined by the table portion 16 that projects beyond the hood or cover 17 to provide a writing area for the stylus or pen C.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, the pattern piece A may be formed from a longitudinally extending strip or piece of suitable material, such as a rectangular length or strip of thin metal or plastic B which, along its center line, is shown as having a series of tits, projections, hollow lugs or cups 66 for guiding it during its movement within the device or apparatus. The piece B is provided with side-positioned contoured lines 67 and 68 by introducing it endwise into the device and actuating the drive mechanism to advance it along a pair of tracking fingers or pins 35 and 35'. Each of these fingers will preferably constitute a pencil or ball point pen cartridge and, at this time, will be placed to ride and write on the top of the strip B to trace contoured lines 67 and 68 thereon in faithful translation or reproduction of a writing, format or design that has been removably applied to the table 16 or to a piece of paper 13. See the work Leslie that has been applied to the table in FIG. 3. During the advance of the piece B within the device, stylus C is moved manually to trace the writing, format or design, such as Leslie. This causes the tracking fingers 35 and 35' to faithfully apply contoured ink or pencil lines which, in FIG. 4, represent the word Leslie on the pattern piece B. When this has been accomplished, the strip B is removed from the machine and out along the contoured lines 67 and 68 to provide the pattern piece A.

Subsequently, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 7, the tracking fingers 35 and 35' will be positioned to engage the pattern piece A along the cut out side edges or contoured lines 67 and 68. Thus, during a forward advance of the pattern piece A within the machine, Leslie or any other suitable writing, format or design will be faithfully reproduced by the stylus C on, for example, a piece of paper 13. In this manner, a permanent record or pattern piece A is made available which can be labeled and used at any time within the machine to produce a desired writing, format or design. The edge 67, through the agency of associated tracking pin or finger 35, is adapted to operate the lever mechanism to produce one type of movement of the stylus C, while the edge 68, through the agency of the associated tracking pin or finger 35 is adapted to another type of movement of the stylus C. The contouring of the pattern piece A may be accomplished in any other suitable manner, if desired.

With particular reference to FIG. 8, a guide drum or feed wheel 31 is secured on a motor dri en shaft 32 for rotation in a counterclockwise direction to progressively advance the pattern piece A within the device. An under-positioned, centrally slotted, entry-aligning or guide plate member 30 is carried in a downwardly spaced relation with a top wall member 27 of a secondary, substantially rectangular, swing housing 25. The secondary housing 25 is swingably mounted within and carried by the primary or main housing 20 adjacent its upper, back end portion by means of a cross-extending swing or pivot shaft 21. As shown particularly in FIGS. 6 and 7, the shaft 21 is adapted to rotate within opposite side walls of the main housing 20, as removably positioned therein by a pair of mounting collars 22 and associated set screws 22a. A pair of similar collars 23 is secured, as by weld metal w, to opposite vertical side walls 26 of the swing or secondary housing 25 through the agency of set screws 23a. Thus, the secondary housing 25 is removably secured within the main housing 20 in a central position on the swing or pivot shaft 21. The secondary housing 25 is flexibly urged to swing upwardly by means of a tension spring 24 (see FIGS. 7 and 8) that is connected at one end to a mounting pin 24a that projects outwardly from an adjacent side wall member 26 and a mounting pin 24b that projects inwardly from a side wall of the main housing 20. The full lines of FIG. 7 illustrates the upwardly tilted, spring-held position of the swing housing 25, while the the dot and dash lines illustrate its forwardly downwardly tilted position.

The guide plate member 30 has a centrally extending slot 30a which is adapted to align with a peripheral or annular groove or slot portion 31a in the drum of a feed wheel 31 (see FIG. 8). Thus, when a pattern piece A is introduced through the feed opening defined between an under side of a top wall 27 of the swing frame 25 and the upper side of the guide plate 30, it is accurately aligned by the slot 30a in the guide plate 30 as well as by the annular slot 31a of the wheel 31. The engagement of the line of projecting tits or cups 66 within the groove or slot portion 31a and of adjacent planar side portions of the pattern piece A with peripheral side flanges 31b of the wheel 31, causes the pattern piece A to be advanced during rotation of the wheel 31 along the under side of the guide plate member 30 (see arrow a of FIG. 7), and then in a curvilinear path downwardly between the outer periphery of the wheel 31 and the concave or rounded inner side of a back-end-positioned guide and closure plate member 28 (see the arrow b). The member 28, as particularly shown in FIG. 7, defines a passageway in its slightly spaced relation with the outer periphery of the wheel 31, along which the pattern piece A is carried and guided and from which it emerges at the bottom portion of the wheel 31 to exit from the bottom portion of the swing frame 25 (see lower arrow of FIG. 7).

The drive shaft 32 is actuated by a gear reduction electric motor 33 to slowly rotate and thus feed the pattern piece A from its upper entry area, as represented by the arrow a, along the curvilinear downward path, as represented by the arrow b, and out along a bottom planar path, as represented by the arrow 0 of FIG. 7. The motor 33, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 8, is directly secured to an adjacent side wall 26 of the swing housing 25 by a pair of mounting screws 34 and spacer sleeves 34a. The motor 33 may be a DC. motor energized in any suitable manner as by dry cell batteries or, more desirably, may be an A.C. motor energized by an electric cable 60 leading to a plug for receiving energy from a conventional household 110 volt source.

With particular reference to FIGS. 6 and 9, cable 60 carries two, opposite potential leads 60a and 60b, one of which 60a is shown connected directly to a terminal of the motor 33 and the other of which 60b is shown connected through a snap switch 61 and lead 600 to the other terminal of the motor 33. Thus, operating pin 62 of the switch 61 may be utilized to manually control the operation of the motor 33 in which event, switch 65 of FIG. 9 may be omitted. However, if it is desired to provide an automatic type of starting and stopping operation, then a micro switch, such as 65, may be positioned,

as shown in FIG. 2, for closing engagement by the movement of the pattern piece A into entry end of the device. Thus, if the manual switch 61 is closed, the automatic switch 65 will cause an energization of the motor 33 and will continue to cause such energization against an opening force that is normally exerted by a tension spring 65a (see FIG. 9) on throw arm 65b of the switch to maintain energization of the motor 33 as long as the pattern piece A is in engagement therewith. In order for the pattern piece A to clear the drum 31, the switch 65 may have a time delay electromagnet 650 that is energized to hold the switch in an open position by attracting its arm 65b for a time period representing the full travel of the pattern piece A out of the pass formed between the periphery of the wheel 31 and the inner face of the guide and back end closure member 28.

The upper wall or table portion 16 of the main housing 20 is shown cut-away at its back end to define a window portion 16a (see FIG. 6) that exposes the upper wall 27 of the swing housing 25. The upper wall 27 is in turn provided with a pair of transversely elongated windows or slots 27a that permit full back and forth tracking movement of the pair of opposed tracking fingers or pins 35 and 35'. As shown in FIG. 7, the pins 35 and 35 extend downwardly through the slots 27a to, as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, engage opposite side edges 67, 68 of the pattern piece A and follow the contour thereof during the forward advance of the piece A, as engendered by the rotation of the wheel 31.

One finger 35 is carried at the forward end of an operating lever arm or link member 36 through the agency of a mounting collar and knurled screw assembly 40' that is secured thereon. As shown by the dot and dash lines, this enables the ready insertion and removal of the finger 35 as well as the adjusting of its vertical positioning. The other tracking finger 35 is carried by a similar mounting collar and screw assembly 40 that is secured on a front end of a triangular-shaped operating lever arm or link member 38. The arm or link member 36 is shown pivotally secured at a mid position thereof on the table 16 by means of a screw and spacer collar assembly 37 (see FIGS. 6 and 7). The arm or member 38 is in a like manner pivotally secured by a screw and spacer collar assembly 39 at an intermediate comer portion thereof on the table 16. The front end of the operating arm 36 is operatively connected by a pivot pin assembly 46 to one end of a cross-extending, connecting link or arm member 45. The other end of the link member 45 is pivotally connected by a pin 47 to a second bend of dog-leg shaped stylus-operating arm member 50. A back end of the member 50 is secured by a pivot pin 48 to a front corner portion of the operating arm 38. A tension spring 41 is at one end connected to an eyelet in the member 38 and, at its other end, within one of a group of eyelets in the member 36 to normally urge them towards each other at their front end portions and thus, to resiliently or flexibly urge the fingers 35 and 35 transversely into tracking engagement with the side edges 67 and 68 of the pattern piece A.

Movement produced by transverse movement of the finger 35' within the slotted portion 27a produces a curvilinear back and forth or transverse movement of an upwardly bent or inclined stylus-mounting end portion 50a of the arm member 50. On the other hand, transverse movement of the finger or pin 35 produces a substantially straight, endwise back and forth longitudinal movement of the end portion 50a of the arm 50. As a result, the stylus, pen or pencil C which is carried by the front mounting end portion 50a will accurately scribe or program the pattern denoted by the side edges 67 and 68 of the pattern piece A on the scribing material, such as the piece of paper 13 (see Leslie" as inscribed in FIG. 6 by the pattern piece of FIG. 4).

Although a relatively short length flexible length of pattern piece A has been illustrated for simplified illustration of the invention, it will be apparent that a continuous or loop type of piece may be provided on the wheel 31 so as to continue or repeat the lettering or design which is scribed by the pencil or pen C. Also, the piece A may be a relatively continuous striplike member that is carried on a reel or winding drum and that is fed to the machine for produc ng a series of designs or even a continuous writing. In such an event, however, it will be desirable to provide a spool of paper 13, and to progressively feed it across the front end of the table portion 16 of the machine as the scribing operation progresses, The operating parts of the device may be of any suitable material such as metal, high impact resin or reinforced resin.

I claim:

1. In a scribing device, a support housing, a guide drum and actuating means for rotating said drum within said support housing, swing means carrying said guide drum and actuating means, a flexible pattern piece having opposite contoured side edges for advancing movement on said guide drum, a pair of tracking fingers operatively positioned adjacent opposite side edges of said guide drum and adapted to engage said opposite side edges of said pattern piece during its movement on said guide drum, a stylus operating arm projecting forwardly along a top wall of said support housing, a linked-together arm member assembly which includes said operating arm pivotally mounted on said support housing, said tracking fingers being operatively carried by different members of said linked together arm member assembly to project downwardly into engagement with the opposite side edges of said pattern piece at substantially its point of entry on said drum, means carried by said swing means for guiding said pattern piece endwise into an upper engaging position with respect to and on said drum for forward-downward and backward-outward movement on said drum, said arm member assembly being adapted to translate back and forth movement of one of said fingers into a curvilinear transverse back and forth movement of said stylus operating arm, and said arm member assembly being adapted to translate transverse back and forth movement of the other of said tracking fingers into a substantially straight longitudinal back and forth movement of said stylus operating arm.

2. In a scribing device as defined in claim 1, said swing means being a swing housing positioned within said support housing, said actuating means being an electric motor mounted on said swing housing, a pivot shaft mounting said swing housing adjacent an upper back end portion of said support housing, said guide plate means being carried by said swing housing for guiding said pattern piece in an aligned relation upon an upper side of said drum, and a curved front end wall being carried by said swing housing and cooperating with and extending along said drum to define a passageway therewith for movement of said pattern piece on said drum towards a lower back end portion of said swing housing.

3. In a scribing device as defined in claim 1, switch means for automatically energizing said motor when said pattern piece is moved into position on said drum and for de-energizing said motor when said pattern piece has completed its movement on said drum.

4. In a scribing device as defined in claim 1, a tension spring connected between said spring frame and said support frame for flexibly urging said swing frame backwardly upwardly within said support frame, and a tension spring connected between members on which said tracking fingers are directly mounted for normally flexibly urging said tracking fingers inwardly towards each other, said support housing having an open window portion adjacent its top back end, and said swing groove portion.

In an improved scribing device, a support housing, a

swing housing operatively carried in an under position within said support housing, a guide drum rotatably mounted within said swing housing, a flexible pattern piece having opposite side edges for guided advancing movement on said guide drum, actuating means for rotating said drum, a pair of tracking fingers operatively positioned adjacent opposite sides of said guide drum and adapted to engage said opposite side edges of said piece during its movement on said guide drum, a dog-leg shaped stylus operating arm having a stylus-supporting longitudinally forwardly projecting portion along and in a spaced relation above a top wall of said housing, a linkedtogether arm member assembly which includes said operating arm pivotally mounted on said support housing, said operating arm having a longitudinally backwardly extending portion and a transversely extending integral connecting portion between a front end of said backwardly extending portion and a back end of said forwardly extending portion, said arm member assembly having a member at one end carrying one of said tracking fingers and at its other end pivotally connected to a front end of said backwardly extending portion of said operating arm and being centrally pivotally mounted on and in spaced relation above the top wall of said support housing, said arm member assembly having a pair of link members one of which extends transversely and is pivotally connected at one end to the other link member and at its opposite end to the front end of said backwardly extending portion of said operating arm, said other link member at its front end carrying the other of said tracking fingers and being centrally pivotally mounted on and in a spaced relation above the top wall of said support housing.

7. In a scribing device as defined in claim 6, flexible means connected between the pair of members which carry said pair of tracking fingers for urging them towards each other, said swing housing being mounted beneath the top wall of said support housing adjacent the front end portion thereof, said support housing having a window portion above said swing housing that exposes a top wall of said swing housing, and a pair of transversely extending slotted portions through the top wall of said swing housing defining limits of back and forth movement of said tracking fingers as engendered by their engagement with the opposite side edges of said pattern piece.

8. In a scribing device as defined in claim 7, said support housing having an upwardly offset backwardly positioned boxlike enclosure on the top wall thereof for all of said arm member assembly except said forwardly extending portion of said operating arm, and said enclosure having a front window portion through which said forwardly extending portion of said operating arm projects into an exposed position above and along the top wall of said support housing. 

1. In a scribing device, a support housing, a guide drum and actuating means for rotating said drum within said support housing, swing means carrying said guide drum and actuating means, a flexible pattern piece having opposite contoured side edges for advancing movement on said guide drum, a pair of tracking fingers operatively positioned adjacent opposite side edges of said guide drum and adapted to engage said opposite side edges of said pattern piece during its movement on said guide drum, a stylus operating arm projecting forwardly along a top wall of said support housing, a linked-together arm member assembly which includes said operating arm pivotally mounted on said support housing, said tracking fingers being operatively carried by different members of said linked-together arm member assembly to project downwardly into engagement with the opposite side edges of said pattern piece at substantially its point of entry on said drum, means carried by said swing means for guiding said pattern piece endwise into an upper engaging position with respect to and on said drum for forward-downwarD and backwardoutward movement on said drum, said arm member assembly being adapted to translate back and forth movement of one of said fingers into a curvilinear transverse back and forth movement of said stylus operating arm, and said arm member assembly being adapted to translate transverse back and forth movement of the other of said tracking fingers into a substantially straight longitudinal back and forth movement of said stylus operating arm.
 2. In a scribing device as defined in claim 1, said swing means being a swing housing positioned within said support housing, said actuating means being an electric motor mounted on said swing housing, a pivot shaft mounting said swing housing adjacent an upper back end portion of said support housing, said guide plate means being carried by said swing housing for guiding said pattern piece in an aligned relation upon an upper side of said drum, and a curved front end wall being carried by said swing housing and cooperating with and extending along said drum to define a passageway therewith for movement of said pattern piece on said drum towards a lower back end portion of said swing housing.
 3. In a scribing device as defined in claim 1, switch means for automatically energizing said motor when said pattern piece is moved into position on said drum and for de-energizing said motor when said pattern piece has completed its movement on said drum.
 4. In a scribing device as defined in claim 1, a tension spring connected between said spring frame and said support frame for flexibly urging said swing frame backwardly upwardly within said support frame, and a tension spring connected between members on which said tracking fingers are directly mounted for normally flexibly urging said tracking fingers inwardly towards each other, said support housing having an open window portion adjacent its top back end, and said swing frame being positioned with its top wall exposed within said window portion, and said top wall of said swing frame having a pair of transversely aligned and extending guide slot portions downwardly through which said tracking fingers extend into side edge engagement with said pattern piece.
 5. In a scribing device as defined in claim 1 said guide drum having a centrally disposed continuous peripheral groove portion therealong, and said pattern piece having a group of spaced-apart cup-shaped projecting portions in a central line longitudinally therealong for guided movement within said groove portion.
 6. In an improved scribing device, a support housing, a swing housing operatively carried in an under position within said support housing, a guide drum rotatably mounted within said swing housing, a flexible pattern piece having opposite side edges for guided advancing movement on said guide drum, actuating means for rotating said drum, a pair of tracking fingers operatively positioned adjacent opposite sides of said guide drum and adapted to engage said opposite side edges of said piece during its movement on said guide drum, a dog-leg shaped stylus operating arm having a stylus-supporting longitudinally forwardly projecting portion along and in a spaced relation above a top wall of said housing, a linked-together arm member assembly which includes said operating arm pivotally mounted on said support housing, said operating arm having a longitudinally backwardly extending portion and a transversely extending integral connecting portion between a front end of said backwardly extending portion and a back end of said forwardly extending portion, said arm member assembly having a member at one end carrying one of said tracking fingers and at its other end pivotally connected to a front end of said backwardly extending portion of said operating arm and being centrally pivotally mounted on and in spaced relation above the top wall of said support housing, said arm member assembly having a pair of link members one of which extends transversely and is pivotally connected at one end to the other link member and aT its opposite end to the front end of said backwardly extending portion of said operating arm, said other link member at its front end carrying the other of said tracking fingers and being centrally pivotally mounted on and in a spaced relation above the top wall of said support housing.
 7. In a scribing device as defined in claim 6, flexible means connected between the pair of members which carry said pair of tracking fingers for urging them towards each other, said swing housing being mounted beneath the top wall of said support housing adjacent the front end portion thereof, said support housing having a window portion above said swing housing that exposes a top wall of said swing housing, and a pair of transversely extending slotted portions through the top wall of said swing housing defining limits of back and forth movement of said tracking fingers as engendered by their engagement with the opposite side edges of said pattern piece.
 8. In a scribing device as defined in claim 7, said support housing having an upwardly offset backwardly positioned box-like enclosure on the top wall thereof for all of said arm member assembly except said forwardly extending portion of said operating arm, and said enclosure having a front window portion through which said forwardly extending portion of said operating arm projects into an exposed position above and along the top wall of said support housing. 